Brake mechanism



Feb. 13, 1923. 1,445,232.

n L. G. N|LS0N.

BRAKE MECHANISM; man Nov. a, 1920.

Patented lFeb.. l, i923.

Anarran stares PATENT orricagej LARs c. NILsoiv, or Honoxnn, NEW JERSEY, Assieivon or FAHY, or NEW YORK, n. Y.

BRAKE TLEECHANISM.

Application ledvNoveinber 8, 1920. kSerial No. 122,599.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, Lans G. NILsoN, citi.- zen of the United States, and resident of Hoboken, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in BrakeV ates) the general brake rigging, whereby the brake-shoes are drawn against the wheels, to thereby permit the exercise of maximum leverage in the operation of the brake.

In the drawing:

Fig l is an elevation of my improved brake operating mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a to-p plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4e is a section on the line 1 -4 of Fig. l, and

Fig. 5 is a. section on the line 5-5 of Fig. l.

Inasmuch as the shafts and chains for brake mechanism must be of substantial dimensions, and it being impractical to have very large winding wheels, the amount of pull that can be produced by hand power is rather limited.

Therefore the present practice is that when more power is needed, gearing is applied-for the purpose of increasing the leverage. This of course means a heavier, more expensive and complicated mechanism.

With the above in mind, I have invented a chain winding device which is of light weight, cheap to manufacture, extremely simple and still more efficient than the windinfr mechanisms in use today.

ily winding mechanism may be made integral with the operating shaft, but for application to old installations at least the form shown in Figs. l and 2 will be found most practical.

rhe upper portion consists of a hub 5 with a suitable hole 6 for receiving the operating shaft. In the figures this hole is shown square for the purpose of receiving a square shaft, but it is to be understood that any other suitable method of coupling can be usedf The outside of hub 5 should ONE-FOURTH. T10' FRANK P- preferably be round and. smooth S0 11112141 it I @an rest in a bearing or guide saddle if de: sired. .y p i i ,Dletly 'below hub 5 is an enlarged portlqn provided with a bolt 7 intended t0' .ref ceive the' lirst link of a winding chain-Zh Close to the head of this bolt 7 ,the ychain receiving groove 8 is started, said groove continuing in volute formas indicated at 823811,80 and 8d.

A line draw-nin `the base of ythis groove would be a combination of an irregular piral and a helix, (though for yconvenience -prefer tov designate lsaid groove ias vbeing volute), the radius ofsai-d groove being the greatest `at the bol-t, for the purpose Aof rapidly taking up the slack, and the radius gradually diminishingi until `i-t becomes .Zeno at the point 8, whence it continues to the vend without increase, thus enabling the brake-shoes to be applied to fthe wheels with :great leverage.

The necessary structural strength is provided in the device by making the -liange or web 9 which separates the different turns of the groove suiiicient in radial extent. This vlange terminates in an axial pin 10 that is intended for a bottom bracket bearing.

My improved winding mechanism should not be confused with the winding drum of the ordinary geared brake. The efficiency of my brake mechanism is assured by the elimination of unnecessary parts, thus reducing friction and further 'by causing the reduction of the radius o-f the winding groove to zero, which is physically impossible of attainment with the ordinary shaft. or drum devices.

It will be apparent that "while the volute groove is here shown as having its base diminishing to a point where it lies approximately in the vertical axis of the stafl',to thus be of zero or nearly zero radius, said base may, on the principle of the corckscrew, within the limits of structural strength requirements, even have minus radial relation to the said axis, the whole purpose of the invention being to achieve in the winding of the chain upon the staff a maximum degree of leverage while turning the staff to wind the chain thereon.

Also it will be apparent that the web or flange 9 must be designed to have such radial extent as to ali'ord therein sufficient substance to compensate for the diminished radial seat that occurs between the gaps of said web, to accord to the structure ample strength for withstanding the strains imposed thereupon in the operation of the sta'.

While l have described my invention as applied to brake operating mechanism and have designated the connecting element be-v tween the staff and rigging for the shoes as a chain, I do not wish to be limited thereby, being aware that the device is equally ap-. plicable with other'than brake mechanism and also that a flexible power member other than a chain may be employed Y Variations may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of my invention comprehended herein.

I claim i f 1. A volute staff having an approximately zero effective winding radius to receive the turns of a flexible power member.

2. A volute staff the radius of whose seat for co-action with the turns oia brake-chain is approximately zero. 3. A flanged volute staff havinga seat whose radius for co-action with the turns ci a flexible member is approximately zero and the dimensions of whose iiange is proportional Vto the stresses Fimposed thereon under operation.

4. The combination'with brake operating mechanism including` a chain olf a volute sta whose turns comprise a chain-winding seat lying` approximately in the axis of said staff.

5. The combination with a brake operating mechanism including` a iiexible member of a volute staff having a flange, the turns of said staff comprising a seat lying near the axis of said staii to receive said iiexible member, and the dimensions o1c said flange `being proportional to the stresses imposed thereon under operation.

6. A ianged volute staff having a seat whose radius over a part of its length for co-action with the turns of a -iexible member is approximately zero., and the dime`nsions oif whose flange are proportional to the stresses imposed thereon, underL operation. y l i 7. rThe combination with brake operating mechanism including a chain of a volute sta-lli having a poration 'of relatively large diameterand a continuing portion whose turns comprise a chain winding seat lying approximately in the axis of said sta.

8. Ao volute staff having a virtual winding seat or such small radius asto require external support therefor, and a flange serving as such support.

bigned borough of Manhai'ztan,` inthe city, county and State o'l New `Yoi.k,'tnis rist day oi? November, A.; D. 1920.

l Lans G. NrLsoN. 

